Regulation in the oil and gas industry is improving in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico disaster, the UK’s Oil Spill Prevention and Response Advisory Group (OSPRAG) has suggested.

The group’s new report suggests that work on oil spill prevention and improved response procedures, as well as provision for financial responsibility for potential oil spills, shows the industry’s willingness to improve.

Jim House, OSPRAG Chairman said: “This second interim report conveys the remarkable strides that have been taken so far in ensuring that the regulatory regime under which the UK offshore oil and gas industry operates remains robust and fit-for-purpose.

“Where OSPRAG has identified improvements that would further strengthen the UK’s capability, the industry has rallied, dedicating significant resource voluntarily to move ahead swiftly with the necessary measures to implement the Group’s recommendations.”

The advisory group was formed in May 2010 to co-ordinate the UK’s response to the Gulf of Mexico incident.